With Fathers day coming up, I was thinking about the little lessons taught to me by my Dad. My Pops a real Deal Hot Rodder, and a few things I still remember... -Windows all the way up or all the way down, in the middle-not cool! -Everything looks better lowered. -Keep the tires and wheels clean, even if the cars dirty, clean at least those. -Use the right tool for the job. -Put stuff back where you got it. -Patience (wish I had more though) The one thing he said that taught me the most though..... -If you can't fix it, you'll have to pay someone to fix it, try and figure it out for yourself or get redy to pay! What'd you learn from yours? Dad at Bonneville with the late Bob Pierson.
How to grind a crank. How to find out what I don't know before I ruin something. Never use a cresent wrench for anything but a hammer. How to grind valves, and shape ports. How to properly reshape a venturi. How to drill jets if you don't have or can't buy one the size that you need. How to figure out what size you need. Don't slam the damned car door. Don't puke on the laquer. Lots of other stuff that I don't remember right now but I will when the time comes. I won't be seeing the Ol' Man on Father's Day ever again, but if I'm lucky someone will by me a bottle of Cognak and I'll tip one with him and his friends while he laughs because I am still down here beatin my knuckles with you fellas while he sits back with his croanies wondering why we haven't figured it all out yet. I hope you all have a happy Father's Day.
he taught how to tell the difference between years and makes of cars and how to not be a good husband and dad
My dad was not a car guy. But he was a gifted Dental Technician! I learned fabrication skills from him. I did not realize it at the time. As far as working on a car or home repairs, well I learned how not to do things! I learned to put my tools away. That way I did not spend hours trying to remember where I used them last! But mostly he taught me to be courteous to others! He was a good and kind person who always tried to help whoever needed it!
That redheads are hot but a lot of trouble. Oh, about cars. He instilled the love of cars in me at an early age when I tagged along with him to town to his buddy's gas station and other things. When I was 12-15 and we got to have dad and kid weekend every other weekend we hit a lot of car shows, drag races and circle track races in the Seattle area in the early 60's.
My Dad was a mechanic with his own shop so can"t even start to list all the things he taught me.The best thing he ever taught me was to be honest and not screw the customer over.That is not a priority followed by shops today.
I learned how to be good person and a responsible adult from my dad, along with a sense of humor and a love of knowledge. Lots of mechanical stuff, too. One of his quotes he instilled in me is "Genius is the infinite capacity to take pains" I see a lot of genius here in the builds.
My old man isn't much of a car guy, but successful as hell in every aspect of life. He taught me to work harder than the next guy and if it's easy it aint worth it.
Many, many things...but the most important thing he taught me was to be a man of my word. IF you say you'll do it, then get it done...no excuses, no messing around and if you shake hands on a deal, then your word is your bond, your contract. Breaking it just isn't an option. I've lived my whole life that way...amazing what your word will do for someone. R-
I learned that to work on a car you had to know the right words. I still use some of them when things don't go according to plan.
Dad's been gone since '94 but I'm still learning things from him. Sometimes, I'll get a little insight into something and a memory will pop up in my head associated with the old man. I'll think "Damn, that's what he meant!"
How to hunt, dress and eat deer, squirrel, rabbits, ... LOTS of electronics theory and application. Common sense around cars, high voltage. How to solder wires and sweat pipe. Boating safety, operation, maintenance. Fishing.
If you borrow something return it in AT LEAST as good, if not better condition as when you got it. If it breaks while you have it you owe them a NEW one.
I've learned just about everything from my father, and I'm lucky enough to still be learning from him. And, depending on the given subject, I'm lucky enough to be able to teach him a few things. My dad is my hero, and I'm extremely fortunate for him to still be here for me.
MY Dad taught me this....See those tools over there!!! They are mine, do not touch them!!!.....I am not shitting you, and to this day I remember it.....I learned about cars working on race cars, and stripping cars for parts......stan
Could not have said it better myself. Probably the statement I heard him say the most 'If you are going to do something, do it right!'
My Dad died when I was 11 from a heart attack. He was a heavy smoker and told me to never touch a cigarette so I would be around to see my own Sons grow up some day. It must have stuck with me because I never touched one and get to spend my days building hot rods with my two Sons, who also (thank God) don't smoke either. Thanks Dad for that bit of advice. Don
"Work with your head, not your back" He was a coal miner, later a blacksmith. "Your name is your bond, if you loose it, you'll never get it back". "Don't gang bang any girl". "You shoot it and kill it, you clean it and eat it". "Start learning how to do body work, before you try doing engine work. Engine work takes too many tools". "If you see someone needs some help, help'em, someday you might need some help too". "How to put worms on a hook", where the catfish are likely to hide. "How to wax a car". It was our 36 Ford humpback. He tried, but I never could figure out how to yodel... Lots more, but I don't want to go overboard on bandwidth here. HellRaiser
Im still young (16yo) but still have learned alot. Put stuff back where you found them Do things right the first time, take your time, and many more. Plus your word is your word, dont go back on it. Thanks Dad
My dad taught me alot of things. - Patience - Always use the right tool for the job - How to be an awesome role-model/husband - Everything i ever needed to know about cars - Why buy it when we can build it much much cheaper!! And the list goes on and on. He was quite a guy, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him, or use some knowledge he gave me.
He taught me everything I know not everything He knows....the man can fix everything and that’s no joke.....from cars to TV to clocks to..... His ability to figure mechanical things out is amazing.....just when I think what the hell does he know about???? He fixes it and even makes it better.....
to put stuff back (cause he never did) cussing and swearing under a truck may make you feel better but it doesn't get that f#$%ing bolt loose
NEVER touch another man's car at a hot rod show. Ever. That is the first "car guy" lesson I ever learned. Beyond that, he taught me pretty much everything I know about anything worth knowing. Dad's always right. Even when he's wrong, I find out later that he was right and I just didn't know it yet.
The Jalopy Journal
